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I there are 6 of us going to the Big Island for 2 weeks starting May 5th. We where wondering if it is possible to visit the other islands by cruise or is it very expensive?? How would you visit them if not by cruise? Plane?

You can fly interisland for under $50 each (or so) but that takes up about 4 hours for a half-hour flight.

Some people take day trips to another island, getting maybe 6+ hours to sightsee on the other island in a rental car.

If you want to see 4 islands and stay 2 weeks, an option is to go to Oahu and take the cruise and then stay the rest of the time on one island. I think that order is best (even though you will have to fly to the other island (Big Island) from Oahu where the ships start/end). I have heard that because the cruises anre not super luxury, they are a reasonably priced option compared to oceanfront hotels and eating in restaurants, but I have never done it.

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crusing to the other islands is today very reasonable and you get to see them all, ... with plenty of time in each port to see the best things.

They leave every Sunday from both Maui and Honolulu NCL operated them and if you look at the web site " vacations to go" you will finf it costs about 500 to 700 per person, thats for 7 days, food and room..

Thats hard to beat if not impossible. and to visit all the main islands would take about 6 flights....( $300) and 4 hours out of each day for a week, not to mention the hassel of packing and un-packing, and all the In 2008 there will be Ferry service between Honolulu and Kauai-Maui and Kona... it will cost ( forcast) $70 rt per island.

If this is your first visit, the cruse option is by far the best.... discovering these islands from the sea instead of a 737 is way more interesting.. As I recall, I think thats hoe the ancient hawaiians did it